


Consequences of a Kiss

by OperaPhantom



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 11:22:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11554155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OperaPhantom/pseuds/OperaPhantom
Summary: After dealing with the Evilustrator, Chat Noir comes by Marinette's to see how she's doing. As time passes, Chat Noir and Marinette come to be close. When Chat Noir discovers who his partner is, will he take the chance at love?





	Consequences of a Kiss

Marinette idly tapped her pencil at the sketchbook on her desk, gazing out her window into the distance. Her eyes roved across the rooftops, trying to see movement in the darkness. The pencil fell from her grasp, but she didn't notice; her mind was elsewhere. After the incident with the Evilustrator, when Marinette had needed to be protected by Chat Noir, he had looked after her for a few days with evening meetings. He had been less annoying to Marinette than he was to Ladybug. Marinette had found she enjoyed his company when he was with her, and he must have felt the same. Even after the Evilustrator showed no signs of re-emerging and coming after Marinette, Chat Noir had still showed up in the evenings.  
They fell into an easy routine, and they talked about anything and everything. Sometimes she would show him designs she was working on, and sometimes he showed her some new fighting tricks he had learned. Sometimes they simply talked about their days, though Chat Noir was always careful to reveal nothing that could expose his identity. He was more willing to be vulnerable with her than he was with Ladybug, and it had helped her see a side of him she hadn't been able to before.  
“Tikki, it's already evening. Chat Noir should be here by now,” she said, chewing her bottom lip slightly.  
“It'll be all right, Marinette. You know he doesn't keep you waiting long,” Tikki reassured her as she flew up to float in front of Marinette's face. Marinette looked at Tikki, worry made plain on her face.  
“But what if he's in danger? There aren't any akumas out, but what if he's hurt? What if who ever he is, who he really is, is hurt?” She pushed her chair away from the desk; she paced around her room. Horrible scenarios kept going through her head. All of them involved Chat Noir, her friend, lying somewhere, hurt and alone. Her heart tightened up in her chest. She couldn't just leave him alone!  
Marinette climbed the ladder to the roof faster than she ever had before.  
“Tikki, spots on!” She transformed into Ladybug. She was not going to sit her while Chat Noir, her wonderfully annoying kitty-cat, might be hurt. “Come on, Tikki. We're going to hunt for a cat!”  
She ricocheted off into the night, thoughts focused on her night-time friend and partner.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chat Noir slumped against the chimney, astounded by what he had just witnessed.  
“Wow, that's something I never would have expected,” Plagg exclaimed loudly, the little kwami sitting down on Chat Noir's knee. Chat Noir didn't seem to hear him, his thoughts a riotous tumult.  
“Marinette… Marinette is Ladybug… Ladybug is Marinette…” he whispered, seemingly in a daze. Ladybug had always attracted him; how she genuinely believing in helping people, how capable she was in a fight, her wit, her smile, and all her other wonderful attributes. He never told her how he remembered the kiss she gave him to free him from Dark Cupid's clutches. She had been obviously uneasy about it, and he hadn't wanted her to feel uncomfortable; he loved her. So he had kept silent, even though the kiss replayed often in his head, in his dreams. Her lips, so soft and warm, pressed against his. Their lips melded perfectly together. As she pulled away, her breath was fresh and pleasant. He could remember the blush that had stained her cheeks, the edges had peeked out from underneath her mask.  
With the incident involving the Evilustrator, he had looked after Marinette, Ladybug's friend. The Evilustrator had been interested in her, and he had wanted to prove himself to Ladybug by protecting this girl. Afterwards, he had shown up at Marinette's rooftop a few times, to see how she was feeling after her ordeal. He had found that she was actually very nice company, and he ended up coming night after night. They talked about a variety of things, but they didn't always talk. Sometimes they would simply sit on her roof, and watch Paris. She had become a good friend to Chat Noir, and after a while, he had opened up to her. Without going into specifics that would reveal his identity as Adrien, he talked about his father, his mother's disappearance, Nathalie's stark professionalism, and the loneliness that resulted. He talked about how he did his work to make his father proud of him, but how his father never reacted. Marinette had been a good listener, knowing exactly when he wanted her advice and when he just wanted someone to listen. They'd become friends, and this closeness he had with her, a closeness he didn't share with Ladybug even though she was his partner, had resulted in her having a very special place in his heart.  
This affection for Marinette had caused him a few sleepless nights. On the one hand, he was in love with Ladybug, and hoped that she would return his affection; unfortunately, she seemed to dislike him outside of work. On the other hand, Marinette had listened to him, had offered no judgement, only friendship and tenderness. She was beautiful, kind, and she had a good sense of humor. He enjoyed spending time with her. Marinette liked him more than Ladybug did, and she knew more about him than Ladybug did. Even though Ladybug was his first love, he'd ended up feeling more for Marinette. Marinette, his sweet, creative, klutzy friend, with whom he could simply be himself.  
Now though, he didn't have to feel conflicted any longer. Marinette and Ladybug were one and the same! Although…  
“If Marinette likes me, why does Ladybug not like me,” Chat Noir mused. Plagg flitted around to face Chat Noir.  
“Maybe because you're her partner? I wouldn't want to date a partner… Unless that partner was Camembert! Mmmm, Camembert…” Plagg's eyes glazed over, as they tended to do when he talked about cheese. Chat Noir rolled his eyes at the cheese-crazy kwami, although he did have a point. Ladybug might not have wanted to get involved with her partner; he wouldn't confront her about this. She obviously wasn't comfortable revealing her identity to him, and he would respect that. But would Marinette want to get involved with Chat Noir? 

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Hi Marinette,  
I'm sorry I missed you last night. Superhero stuff, you know how it is. ;)  
I hope you'll be here tonight, because there's something I really want to tell you. Our usual time, our usual spot.  
See ya, bugaboo!  
Meow~  
“What do you think he means, Tikki?”  
Tikki fluttered up to Marinette's face.  
“Well, it means he wants to see you again!”  
“No, Tikki, I know that! I mean, why did he call me 'bugaboo'? He only calls Ladybug that.” Marinette chewed on her lip, thoughts racing. Had it been a mistake, him writing “bugaboo”? Or could it be that Chat Noir had feelings for Marinette?  
“Tikki, what if he likes me? Not just as a friend, but what if he wants to date me?” Marinette glanced at her little kwami friend, perturbed. “If he asks me, should I say yes?”  
The red and black kwami tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowing in thought.  
“Um, I don't know. Do you like him? You were really worried when he didn't show up last night.”  
“But I'm supposed to be in love Adrien!” The exclamation burst out of Marinette, the crux of her confusion. She was supposed to be in love with Adrien, and yet she had found herself falling for her feline. Although, she did know Chat Noir better than she knew Adrien… And with Chat Noir, she never felt tongue-tied, or nervous, or half as klutzy as she was with Adrien. Voicing these thoughts to Tikki, the little kwami fluttered around.  
“Well, um, it could be that you just had a crush on Adrien, but you're in love with Chat Noir,” Tikki suggested.  
Could it be? Could Tikki be right?  
These thoughts kept bouncing around in Marinette's mind. Since it was a Saturday, she had no school, and her parents didn't have any chores for her to do. She worked on some new designs. She called Alya and they chatted for a while; Alya wanted to come over later to show her some footage she'd gotten of Ladybug the previous night. Marinette talked with some of her classmates in their group chatroom. Even with all these distractions, her mind kept returning to what Tikki had said. Sighing, she fell into her desk chair with a whump, swiveling around to lay her head on her desk. Was she really in love with Chat Noir? Could she really forget about Adrien so easily? Although, when had Adrien ever shown her something other than friendship? He had been kind to her, a little more than their other classmates, but nothing to indicate he felt anything more. She turned her head to the side, looking at the little red and black kwami who was sitting on her sketchbook.  
“…Tikki?”  
“Yes, Marinette?” Tikki perked up, floating a little closer to Marinette.  
“Do you think it would be bad if Chat Noir and I started dating? Would I be fickle, after being so into Adrien for so long?”  
“No! Not at all!” Tikki whizzed closer to Marinette, brushing the girl's bangs out of her eyes. “Sometimes feelings change. That's okay. You can't force your heart to feel something it doesn't.” Tikki nuzzled Marinette, the kwami hugging her friend as much as she could with her tiny arms. Marinette smiled slightly.  
“Thanks, Tikki. You're right; I knew it, but I just needed to hear it from someone else.” Marinette stood up. Now that she had decided what to do, she wanted to look nice for Chat Noir! He wouldn't be here for at least a couple more hours, but she could use this time to plan her outfit.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chat Noir leapt onto a rooftop three down from Marinette's roof. He adjusted his gloves, and swallowed a few times. He checked his tail for the third time, making sure it was exactly as it should be, and adjusted the bell at his throat. He pulled out a small mirror, and checked his hair; it was none the worse for his sprinting across the rooftops of Paris. His face was flushed, though that was more from his excitement and nerves. He leaped across the rooftops, and stopped, his breath catching in his throat.  
Marinette stood below him, unaware of his presence. She had dressed differently this time. Her hair was loose, stirring slightly in the gentle breeze, and it seemed to glow under the lights. She was wearing a pretty, light blue, floral print dress, with a shawl draped around her shoulders to ward off the chill from the breeze that ruffled her skirt. She was always pretty, but right now she was beautiful. Chat Noir blinked a few times, then shook himself to throw off his stupor; he wanted to talk to her, not look like a fool. Swiftly, he jumped down to her roof, landing lightly next to her.  
“Hello there, Marinette.”  
She turned, and he saw that she had mascara on. It accentuated her already lovely eyes, eyes which looked at him with something that made his breath catch in his throat again. He cleared his throat, hoping to dispel the lump that had lodged there.  
“Did you get my note?”  
“Yes, I did. I'm sorry I wasn't here last night, an emergency popped up, you know how it is,” she trailed off into a nervous giggle, rubbing the back of her head with one hand. She normally wasn't this nervous around him; had his note made her uneasy.  
“No worries,” he said with a grin, trying for his usual cockiness, “I'm sorry I wasn't able to show up. I'm glad you weren't out here waiting for me.”  
“Oh, no, I was waiting for you, it's just that the emergency popped up and cut my waiting short, and- wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?” She babbled, then sat down in a chair, wringing her hands.  
Chat Noir sat down in the chair next to her, moving it so that he faced her. He leaned in a little closer to her, holding one of her hands in his, and gazing into her eyes.  
“Marinette, you've been a wonderful friend to me. You've listened to me, and given me advice, and you've been there for me when no one else was. I know it's only been a couple months, but I feel like I've known you longer.” He took a deep breath, feeling his face heat up in a blush. “What I'm trying to say is, I love you.” He gazed hopefully at Marinette. She was blushing, and to him, it only added to her charm.  
“Chat Noir, I…” she paused, and he looked down, fearing the worst. She didn't like him the same way, she just wanted to be friends, she-  
“I think that I love you, too.”  
Chat Noir looked up, his eyes going wide. Marinette blushed even more, licking her lips slightly before speaking again.  
“I don't know if I'm in love, since I've never been in love before. I thought I was in love with a classmate, but I realize that it was only a crush.” She collected herself, staring into his eyes with a soft smile. “I do know that I've never felt for anyone what I feel for you. I know that when I look at you, I feel happy. I feel like I can do anything, and I feel safe. When I look at you, my heart feels warm and full. I don't know for certain if it's love, but I think it is.”  
“My lady, may I… may I kiss you?”  
“Yes.”  
Chat Noir and Marinette both leaned forward. He tilted his head to the right, closing his eyes. Their noses brushed gently, then their lips met. Her lips were soft, just like he had remembered. Like when she kissed him during the Dark Cupid incident, their lips melded together perfectly. Gently, they broke apart. Marinette reached her hand up to gently stroke his face, a smile on her lips. He smiled back at her, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. She kissed him, she kissed him! This time, it hadn't been because it was to save him, but because she wanted to. His heart felt like a bird swooping and soaring through the air. A flush spread over Marinette's face, making her even more adorable. She reached our her free hand, and ran her thumb gently over his lips, her eyes slightly glazed.  
“Marinette! Are you up there? There's something I want to show you”  
They jerked apart at the sound of Alya's voice. Chat Noir stood up, taking her hands in his and bowing over them.  
“Tomorrow night, my lady?”  
“Yes, please,” Marinette said in a soft, breathy voice. He winked at her, softly kissed her hands, then leapt off into the night.  
“Marinette, there you are!” Alya popped up through the hatch. “I wanted to show you some footage I got of Ladybug last night!”  
Marinette gazed off in the direction Chat Noir had gone in, looking forward to their next meeting.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Adrien yawned as he rolled out of bed to turn off his alarm. He, well, Chat Noir, and Marinette had created a routine of meeting every night, their greetings and goodbyes kisses. Adrien smiled as he recalled the previous night; Chat Noir had helped Marinette with one of her designs, a very handsome, midnight blue men's suit. He hoped that he would be able to model it for her. Any excuse to get her to touch him was fine by him. Adrien sleepily pulled on his clothes, and went downstairs to grab breakfast.  
Nathalie was waiting for him when he got downstairs to the dining room. His father was absent, as per usual. He glanced at the seats his father and mother had sat in, back when his mother was still here. Sighing, he took his seat at the vast table. Nathalie motioned for his breakfast to be brought forth, and the chef unveiled it on the table.  
“Fresh fruit, with pain au chocolate and freshly squeezed orange juice.”  
“Thank you, Jean-Philippe, it looks delicious.”  
“Adrien, remember that your fencing lesson was cancelled today. Your father wants you to come straight home after school.”  
“…Yes, Nathalie,” he sighed. Adrien hated how his father treated him like an overgrown infant. He would never be able to have a normal life, or as normal a life as a superhero could have, if his father kept isolating him. Sighing again, he finished his breakfast, then grabbed his backpack from the foyer.  
“Adrien, we're here.”  
Adrien started; he had fallen asleep in the car. He really stayed up too late with Marinette last night. He didn't know how he was going to stay awake during class. Now, more than ever, he was glad that his fencing lesson was cancelled. He'd probably nap after school. In school, he'd be able to see Marinette. He still hadn't been able to tell her that he was Chat Noir. He wished he could, but she hadn't made any overtures herself. Adrien didn't wanted to make her uncomfortable. He yawned even more as he climbed the steps of the school. He'd worry about all this after school though; he was too tired to do so now.  
“Good morning Adriekins!”  
“Hmm? Oh, morning Chloé.” Adrien yawned. He saw Marinette in her seat, and smiled at her sleepily. “Good morning, my lady.” He walked over, and gave her a kiss on her cheek.  
“What are you doing?” shrieked Chloé. “Why are you kissing that freak?”  
Adrien started; due to his sleepiness, he'd completely forgotten that he wasn't Chat Noir right now. He'd addressed her like Chat Noir would. He looked at Marinette. She seemed to be in shock, but he knew by looking at her that she was realizing who he was.  
“Adriekins!” Chloé pulled him around to face her, anger written on her face. “I asked you a question! Why did you kiss that freak?”  
“She's not a freak!” Adrien shouted. Chloé had been a friend to him for a long time, but he knew she was selfish and unkind to others. He'd been so lonely, he didn't want to turn her away. But now he had Nino, and his classmates, and most importantly, Marinette. His lovely Marinette, who was not a freak. Marinette, who had listened to Chat Noir and been his friend. Marinette, who he was in love with. He wasn't going to let anyone bad mouth his friend and love.  
“I'm doing what I should have done a long time ago.” He turned to Marinette, smiling at her. “My lady, would you do me the honor of going on a date with me, now that the black cat is out of the bag?”  
“Yes, I would love to.” Marinette smiled at him, the same smile she always gave Chat Noir.  
“Settle down class,” Madame Bustier said as she walked in, “we have a lot to cover today. Chloé, sit down. I don't want to have to tell you again.”  
Chloé slunk off to sit next to Sabrina, pouting and trying to flutter her eyelashes at Adrien. Marinette squeezed his hand, then walked up to sit in her seat. Adrien smiled at her, then sat in his own seat. He was feeling much more awake now; perhaps he wouldn't need that nap after all.

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to my friend Aryn. She got hooked on Miraculous Ladybug, and a lot of the fanfics she's reading are unfinished. I wrote this little piece to tide her over. I hope you all enjoy it, and feel free to leave comments!


End file.
